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This is especially true of the young and flourishing State of Oklahoma, which at no distant date was occupied almost entirely by the Indian nations, the few white men being chiefly adventurers who roamed from place to place, having no abiding interest in the land. The advent of the white man caused a change in all the material conditions, but even then the first permanent settlers had many interesting experiences, sometimes not devoid of danger. Probably Indian characteristics were revealed more clearly to the white doctors who first practiced among them than to any other class of white emigrants, as the doctor, from the nature of his profession, came into closer personal contact with the red man. One of these early medical practitioners was Dr. John G. Sharp, who for seventeen years followed his profession in the Chickasaw country and can relate many interesting anecdotes of his Indian patients. Doctor Sharp was born in Wood County, Texas, in 1871, a son of John and Mary (COKER) Sharp. His paternal grandfather died while en route to Texas from Alabama. The Rev. E. G. Sharp, a missionary Baptist preacher at Mineola, Texas, who has been in the ministry in Texas since 1861 is an uncle of Doctor Sharp. John Sharp, the Doctor's father, was born in Alabama and became a pioneer settler of Wood County, Texas, buying there 1,000 acres of fine timbered land at one dollar an acre. The country was then unsettled and unfenced and he and others of the family made expeditions over a large area of that region. Where the City of Greenville now stands -- a city having a population of about 9,000 people -- they were offered land at seventy- five cents an acre. The elder Sharp helped to survey and cut the principal road between Quinton, Wood County, and Sulphur Springs, Hopkins, County, Texas. Doctor Sharp's mother's parents were from Louisiana and settled in Texas at an early day. His maternal grandfather, while building a fence at the age of eighty-six, was thrown from a wagon and killed. Dr. John G. Sharp acquired his elementary education in the public schools of Texas. After being fairly well advanced in his studies he applied himself to learn the profession of medicine and in due time successfully passed an examination before the State Medical Board of Texas. Before this, however, in 1897, he had already begun to practice, his first practical experience being in Dolberg, Indian Territory, where he remained three years. He then took a course of lectures at Fort Worth University, where he was graduated in 1905. Returning to Indian Territory, he located at Iona, in what is now Murray County. There he resided for eleven years, at the end of which time he came to Mill Creek, his present location, of which place he has now been a resident for four years. Doctor Sharp came into professional contact with the Indians from the time he began practice in Dolberg. Once a full blood Indian near the place fell out with his doctor, who was a halfblood, discharged him and sent for Doctor Sharp. The fullblood's wife had given him a dose of calomel and sent him into the field on a rainy afternoon to gather corn, the result being that the Indian was salivated, and that very malignantly. Doctor Sharp's examination showed the need of a mouth wash. This the Indian used intelligently, but it proved ineffective as a cure. The third day the Doctor saw that something heroic must be done. He mixed turpentine and carbolic acid in a mouth wash and gave it to the Indian. The latter was driven nearly mad with pain and rolled in agony on the floor. Before the attack was over he announced to the Doctor that if this didn't relieve him he would kill the Doctor, and called to his wife to hand him his shotgun that he might make good his threat. Doctor Sharp knew his business, however, and the Indian did not find it necessary to shoot. On another occasion an Indian had congestion of the stomach. Doctor Sharp prescribed but the Indian wouldn't take the medicine. Three times a day for two days the Doctor visited him without results because of the Indian's contrariness. At length Doctor Sharp administered a hypodermic injection and later another one. This frightened the Indian and he called for his gun. He feared that the Doctor was picking for him an easy way to the happy hunting grounds. When a third injection was threatened the Indian resolved to try the taking of medicine. Doctor Sharp is city physician of Mill Creek. He belongs to the county and state medical associations, also to the Masonic order, the Woodmen of the World and Woodmen Circle Lodges and to the Baptist Church. In 1890, at Whitman, Texas, Doctor Sharp was married to Miss Nancy KITCHENS, who died three years later. He was again married in 1894, at Iona, Indian Territory, to Miss Emma DISMUKES. They have five children, the eldest, Arthur, aged seventeen, being a son of the deceased Mrs. Sharp. The others are: Alma, aged thirteen Lona, aged nine, Cordie, aged five and Rudy, aged one year. Doctor Sharp has a sister, Mrs. Lettie MCINTOSH, who is the wife of a lumberman at Whitman, Texas. The Doctor and his family have a pleasant and comfortable residence in Mill Creek, of which he is one of the best known and most highly respected citizens. Typed for OKGenWeb by Lee Ann Collins, December 9, 1999.